Food delivery boy, app cab driver part of vandal mob
Times of India | 17 August 2024
123 Kolkata: An app-cab driver, a motor parts shopowner, a food delivery boy and several unemployed youths from slums near R G Kar Hospital have been rounded up in multiple cop raids since Thursday morning in a bid to book those involved in the vandalism at the hospital on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday. On Friday, too, police did the rounds of several slums in search of those who had been identified from CCTVs as having participated in the rampage but continued to remain at large.
Officially, Kolkata Police released the names of 25 persons including a woman who had been arrested.But none of them were from the neighbouring areas. However, locals in slums at Belgachhia, Sarkar Bagan, Dattabagan, Saudagarpatti, Paikpara, Cossipore, Chitpur and Sinthi said police had either picked up several youths through Thursday or were conducting raids to apprehend several others and claimed that many of those involved in the ransacking were from these areas.
While past instances of cop action in these areas have been met with indignation, protests and even resistance, this time residents of these areas also helped identify some of the youths whose photographs had been posted by cops on its social media platforms. Locals said while the mob-mentality may have prompted some youths to join, they said the attack aimed at destroying the doctors’ protest platform inside the hospital was executed with political backing.
Sheikh Sajan left his Barat Colony home under Lake Town PS on Wednesday evening, saying that he was going to participate in a candlelight vigil. “When cops came looking for him on Thursday, we were shocked. It was then that he admitted being a part of a group that was involved in the vandalism,” said a family member. Locals and family members said he was “friendly” with local TMC workers but was not actively involved in politics.
Family of Pol Ghosh on Muktaram Babu Street said they last spoke to him at around 3.30 am on Aug 15. “He went with his friends and their wives to participate in the rally. When we heard of the vandalism we called up Pol. He said he would be home in an hour,” said mother Trishna Ghosh. He went incommunicado till Thursday afternoon when the family received a call from Ultadanga PS. “When we reached he was already in Sealdah court,” said the mother.
His father Jagabandhu Ghosh said his son was not involved with any party. “He has his own online business,” he said.
Tanvir Alam of Belgachia’s Lal Maidan has not returned home since Wednesday evening. “He left home saying he is going for some important work,” said sister-in-law Saba.
At Belgachhia Model Slum, police conducted raids on Thursday morning, afternoon and in the evening to pick up a dozen youths. These included Faizal, who sits in a motor parts shop, Shah Rukh, an app-cab driver, and several others like Qasim, Sarfaraz and Rehan. Qasim was seen atop a vandalised vehicle in the hospital that night, waving a flag.
At Duttabagan in Paikpara, cops conducted a raid on Friday afternoon to nab Sonu Das, a food delivery agent, but returned empty handed.
Opposition leader Suvendu Adhikary blamed MLA Atin Ghosh for the vandalism. Ghosh rubbished the allegations.